The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-08-25
PAWN-TICKET FAKIRS.
a Lesson Learned By a Citizen Of
Brooklyn.
now the Thing ia Done-The Edngry
Young Man and the Cooperative
Broker-Twenty Dollars on
Two-Dollar Watch.

A long face, poor mouth and a Iuit
of respectfully shabby clothes. with a
voice trained down to an empty stom-
-ach whihe are about all the capital re-
quired-plus unlimited gall-by the
modern street brigand, the pawn
ticket fakir. He is generally in part
nership with pawnbrokers of shady
neutrality-suspicious. who are not
exactly receivers of stolen goods,
1eads them to advance trifling sum of
money on valuable jewel handed over
the counter by a tramp. They are all
honorable men, of course. because they
are seldom found out But the ticket
fakir has little to do with valuable
Jewels or property unless his fingers
happen to stray against them acci-
dentally. While this is true as gen.
eral thing, there are exceptions. The
1akir who does the broken-down sport
act very often carries pawn tickets rep
rcsenting his equity in alleged dia-
monds and other valuables supposed
to have been hypothecated during one
of those periods when the silver lining
was turned the wrong side up. Itmay
.be taken as a rule, however, that the
fakir's pawn tickets are regulated ac-
cording to his apparent station.
A young fellow, tall, white-faced
and looking miserably attenuated. his
clothes quite shabby and buttoncI up
close about the neck, has been ork-
ing Fulton street late o. nights for
some weeks, presumably changing his
Office location quite frequently. At
almost midnight he accosted gentle
man near Pierrepont street, with the
conventional whine:
Excuse me, sir. just a minute,
please. Could you oblige me with
few pennies to help me get meal?"
"What's the matter, out of work?"
queried the pedestrian, who was just
returning from lodge and was a little
mellow. As he holds public position
he feels very solicitous that his name
should be suppressed.
Finding his victim in a talkative
mood, the fakir drops the " hine and
adopts a confidential tone.
swell, it's partly that; but the truth
lis I've been on the lose for week or
two and I've had to pawn my clothes
tand watch and borrow these rags I've
got on. live at Newark, and haven't
got the face to go back looking like
this. I've written to a friend for some
money, and guess I'll get it in day
'Or two. But must 60 hungry and
walk the streets in The meantime"
But the victim had frozen up, and,
growing suspicious, was pushing by
with a curt: Il haven't got anything"
when the fakir planked down his little
joker and took the trick.
-'Look here. boss, I'm no beggar. l
only want enough to get bed and
meals till my money arrives. A couple
of dollars III do. Here's the pawn ticket
of my watch. 1 only borrowed twenty
dollars on it. because didn't expect to
60 broke. The watch cost my father
one hundred and fifty dollars when he
bought it for me. Wouldn't part with
St- for five hundred dollars. II you'll
lend ME two or three dollars till 1 get
my money I'll leave my ticket with you
as security. l don't like to insult YOU
by offering to pay for kindness, but if
dollar or two's an object I'll pay it
with pleasure for the accommodation. ~
The gentleman took the ticket, looked
at it casually and then drew out a small
bundle of greenbacks. The fakir saw
that he had succeeded. and added, with
a tinge of simulated anxiety in his
yOice:
Il suppose you wont o3j2c: to telling
me where | can in yoi. s:I'?''
TX. dila't unjrcS an he handed the
f'llpw three 'loll1:'. cutting short his
rroiusc thinks b. jumping on a car.
a week elapsed and the unfortunate
!oun,S man did not seem to have r.
ceived his rnoney from NwarS. for he
failed TO re;it.e n tin Il tic';e: wiici rep
resented a wa'cl he wpld no: sci for
ufC L az Vac ssn le'fl
Started to Nav York i | c.,l e at Inc
pa~nbroker Office lie laid the ticket
down on the c 'an;er. saying:
''Let me see what sort of a watch
that is?''
"A Hebrewish young man, with inky
fingers and scores Of pins stuck in the
lapel of his vest, turned the ticket
face downward and wrote some hiero-
glyphics on its back.
.'Twenty-one eighty-five." he said,
without moving a muscle.
''How?" ~
'Twenty-one eighty-fve."
..But l only want to look at IT."
''Youl have TO redeem it. then. an